The Katabasis

Katabasis is a word that’s been echoing in my mind. My lips look for any excuse to slip it into conversation.

Katabasis is the Greek word for ‘going down’ or ‘descent’.

In mythology and literature, it is often descriptive of a journey into the underworld, a descent into darkness where a person is confronted with hell. The deeper you descend, the more you are asked to give up something of yourself. When you reach the deepest part of hell and you are stripped naked, this is where you will find the thing that gives you the power to slay your metaphorical dragon upon your return.

In the katabasis, the going down, we cannot simply descend blindly. We descend in faith, trusting that as we surrender the parts of ourselves that cost something, certain longings or reasons for them will be healed. Something new may be planted, or that which has been lost will be found. We trust that we won’t ascend empty-handed.

When the pain and grief of life overwhelm us, we need to learn how to surrender. Whether our suffering is forced upon us, stems from the battles within us, or is even self-inflicted, we need to learn what it means to let go. The speed of the katabasis is not connected to the speed of gravity. It might take longer than expected, but sometimes, for the sake of keeping your life, you need to lose it.

That is the story of Christ. He took on the katabasis. He descended to the deepest depths. He laid down His divine privileges. He gave up His crown, His glory and His power. All of it to bring me back.

We take the katabasis in faith that when we go down, we will come up new.